Review; Crafters Companion Boxer Board

Product Details

Manufacturer/Brand; Crafters Companion; Ultimate Pro: The Boxer

Item number; 185716 Box

RRP at time of writing: £ 15

Reason For Buying

I haven’t got the Ultimate Pro set from Crafters companion, as I’d bought the individual box maker and envelope board just weeks before it was launched. This board is different to the Box making board that was previously available from the company but as I didn’t have the Ultimate Pro as a base to put it onto, it wasn’t a board I was going to go for. BUT I did want the Envelobox Creator, and I bought when there was a buy one get the other board free. So as a freebie it was worth a try.

Purpose

Scoring board. Quote: Create custom size and shape boxes or score accurate metric and imperial measurements with The Boxer board. One side is imperial up to 8″ in one eighth inch increments. Other side Metric up to 20cm in half centimeter increments.

Pros/Cons

Pros

Light weight but robust

Compact, easy to store

Metric and imperial measurements on opposite side of the board.

SUPERB embossing tool. Great if your dexterity isn’t what it could be.

Versatile

Step by step photos and written instruction leaflet.

There is also a separately available DVD with project ideas and tips to help you get the best from this board.

Cons

When demoing and asked on C&C, ‘Can this board be used alone.” Sara said “Yes”.

Without any stop blocks to butt your card against, at either edge of the board, this proves difficult and unreliable.

Quote;

When the board is used slotted onto the Ultimate Pro. When scoring lines beyond 7″ or 17cm, the longer pieces of card can become deformed on an opposite scoring edge. The instructions to over come this say to add a ‘padding’ to your Ultimate Pro by placing a spare board under the Boxer. This results in no raised edge to but your card against as it will lie flush with the top of Ultimate Pro.

Build Quality

Excellent. Sturdy plastic which makes it light but it is still robust. Watch out for moulding marks though, mine was prominent and if you aren’t careful, could scratch the card as you use the board. Luckily it didn’t distort the scoring lines. The hand tools are excellent, very ergonomic and comfortable to use.

Value for Money

I cannot comment as to how well this performs in an Ultimate Pro, as I don’t have that board. Without an Ulitmate Pro, for me, it can’t do what it’s designed for accurately, without any stop blocks at the edges.

Would I buy it Again?

Sorry but without the Ultimate Pro, there are no stops on the edges of the board. For this reason ONLY I would not buy this as a standalone product. They say you can use it budged up against other things, but that isn’t the way to get a reliable enough stop to measure against.

Summing up

Well made

Great quality

Excellent embossing tool

This seems a good idea, that perhaps needed more work IF, it is being sold as being able to be used as a standalone board as well as on the Ulitmate Pro.

The leaflet that comes with the board, and the instructions on the separately available DVD both show that to avoid creasing larger card, when using the board with the Ultimate Pro you need to put an extra board underneath to raise it up. Then admit that you will lose the raised butting edge (lip that you hold your card up against, to keep your measurements straight and true) when you do this.

A secure and accurate 90 degree edge is essential to the whole process but used alone or raised to avoid damaging longer card in an Ultimate pro you are without it.

This is the first product of its kind from Sara that I’ve not had success with. I had her earlier version of this board which had box bases on one side and lids on the other. That worked as a stand alone product and had raised edges.

A great shame, adding raised long edges like on the design of the earlier Box making boards from the company and this would have worked better in and out of the Ultimate Pro. Perhaps that could be included in v2 ;)

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2 Responses

Thanks for reviewing this board Billie, I had been considering this in conjunction with the envelope box board but will give it a miss. As you pointed out without a butt bar how can you get accurate measurements. Think Sara was being economical with the facts when she said it could be used as a standalone board.

I’m NOT SURE who it was said you could use this as a stand alone board, it was mentioned during the show but someone did. I’m surprised at this board not being made as also usable as a stand alone thing, it would have increased its sales potential. I wouldn’t buy the Ultimate Pro as I bought the componant boards individually very shortly before the Ultimate was brought out and didn’t want doubles. As I say its the FIRST time ever that I’ve been disappointed in a product by Sara, her stuff is usually spot on.

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